Jalandhar, January 27
Ahead of the Assembly elections, Local Bodies Minister Tiskhan Sud utilised the occasion of 63rd Republic Day celebrations as a platform to motivate the gathering to exercise their franchise in the formation of the next government.

Sud, chief guest on the occasion, unfurled the tri-colour and took salute of the parade at the local Punjab Armed Police (PAP) ground, Jalandhar Cantt, yesterday. The day was marked by an impressive cultural programme by students of schools and colleges.

He said the world looks at India as a fine example of democratic set-up. “We are world’s largest democracy where people have the right to form and deform governments. It is with the help of the constitutional rights to vote, the citizens can decide on their future leader,” he added.

Further talking about the contribution of Punjabis, Sud said it was a matter of pride that around 80 percent of freedom fighters were from Punjab.

He also said the state as well as nation’s development was possible through individual contribution. “Our freedom fighters left this nation in our hands to develop it and take it to glorious heights. Let us all pledge that every citizen casts their vote and become a part of the progress of the state,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the best contingent, which participated in the Republic Day parade, was honoured. Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stood first followed by Punjab Police while Punjab Home Guards received the consolation trophy.

Jalandhar, January 27
As many as six pharmacists have been taken off election duties.

Pharmacists posted at Mehatpur and Bilga have been taken off duties, but three pharmacists (posted at Shankar and Nakodar) deployed as booth-level officers are still deployed on election duties.

Rajinder Singh, pharmacist posted at Mehatpur (on deputation at Nakodar), says, “While I attended the poll rehearsals on January 8 and 15, I wasn’t called to the one on January 25. I have not undertaken any poll duty since then.”

Jagtar Singh, posted at a dispensary under Civil Hospital Nakodar said, “Six pharmacists have been taken off duties but three of us who have been working as BLOs are still on duty. And from the looks of it, we will be working till the elections are over.”

Sources say it is difficult for the district administration to let go of the BLOs because they have been doing election-related work since March 2011 and it will be an arduous task for the administration to train new BLOs in such short timeframe.

While the total number of clinical staff members in the district put on election duties, as released by the civil surgeon’s office, were 19 (7 pharmacists, 1 radiographer, 7 laboratory technicians, 3 staff nurses and one ophthalmic officer), what is intriguing is both the DC’s and civil surgeon’s office is tightlipped about the status of the rest of the employees.

The few laboratory technicians that The Tribune talked to also did not have any clue regarding any cancellation of their duties.

Deputy Commissioner-cum-DEO Priyank Bharti said, “Some staff members have been taken off duty, but we do not have the data regarding them.”

The Civil Surgeon said, “We have not received any information about the cancellation of duties so far.”

Jalandhar, January 27
Lakhwinder Singh, a lawyer, has been booked for allegedly killing Roshan Lal, a migrant labourer, in Vasant Vihar.

The incident took place at 10.30 pm on Thursday, when "heavily drunk" Lakhwinder Singh stopped his car outside the quarter of Roshan Lal and asked him to provide a glass, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Jasbir Singh.

"When Roshan Lal refused to provide him a glass, Lakhwinder abused and assaulted him," said the ACP. "The accused then took a brick and hit the victim on the head," he added.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where he died this morning, said the ACP.

Eyewitnesses told the police that the accused, who was already in an inebriated state, asked the victim to provide an empty glass to drink liquor and when Roshan Lal refused, the accused attacked him with a brick.

Lakhwinder Singh, a resident of Ravinder Nagar, is a lawyer by profession and his father is a retired Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

The accused is absconding. The police has launched raids to nab the accused.

Jalandhar, January 27
Mystery shrouds the death of a youth, a professional bodybuilder, whose nude body was found in a hotel room on Thursday morning.

A resident of Latth Mohalla, Maninder Mehra was found dead in room no 108 of Hotel City Castle adjacent to Madan Flour Mill.

The SHO, Police Station Division No-4, said after receiving information from Maninder's father, Tarsem Lal, a team of police officials reached the hotel and found Maninder Singh lying in the room with white froth oozing out of his mouth.

The police suspected that the bodybuilder died of an over doze of some drug.

Sources in the police, however, said Maninder Mehra had booked the room in the hotel on Wednesday night. He had also brought a friend to the hotel. Sources said a girl also stayed in the room on that particular night.

As his friend left the hotel on Wednesday night, Maninder stayed with the girl. On Thursday morning, the girl found Maninder motionless, said the sources.

The youth allegedly had taken an overdoze of 'aphrodisiacs' drug that led to his death, the sources added.

The police has started the investigation into the matter after taking the footage of CCTV cameras from the hotel. The police is also working on various theories.

The police has also collected certain items from the room.

Meanwhile, the police has initiated inquest proceedings in this case. The body has been handed over to the family after the post-mortem examination at the Civil Hospital.

Jalandhar, January 27
The police seized 6,850 cartons of liquor from a godown in Dhilwan village near Rama Mandi here today. The police has also arrested the manager of the godown for stocking liquor without permit and documents.

The confiscated liquor was allegedly stored by a liquor contractor in the godown and it was meant to be used by politicians to lure voters during elections.

Acting on a tip-off, the police constituted a team comprising officials of the Excise Department and raided the godown, said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Naresh Dogra.

During search, the team found 6,850 cartons stocked in the godown whose manager Manjinder Singh was unable to produce the permit and other mandatory documents.

Meanwhile, the police has sealed the godown and handed over Manjit Singh to the officials of the Excise Department. A case under sections of the Excise Act has been registered against Manjit Singh, said Barjinder Singh, SHO, Rama Mandi.

He said the suspect would be questioned to know the name of the contractor and where the liquor was to be delivered.

The city police has also seized 500 cartons of whisky from two separate places in the last 48 hours. The police intercepted two vehicles at the nakas and detained the drivers.

Phagwara, January 27
Four persons have been arrested in a Rs 50-lakh robbery case.

Sarwan Singh Bal, SHO (City), said one of the accused Jaipal of local Khalwara Gate, appeared before the local Judicial Magistrate on January 18 and confessed his crime. He was sent in the police remand. During the interrogation, he disclosed the names of other persons involved in the crime. Following the leads, the police arrested three of his accomplices, identified as Jaidev, Davinderpal Singh and Jaswant Singh.

On November 28, money exchanger Ashok Kumar was assaulted by a gang near a police station. They snatched Rs 50 lakh, including foreign currency, from him.

The SHO said they have recovered foreign currency worth Rs 12.5 lakh, one Ford Ikon car and a sharp-edged weapon from them. He also said those arrested disclosed the names of six other accused. However, they are still absconding.

The absconding men were identified as Harpal Singh, Jaspreet Singh, Mandip, Sandip, Palwinder Kaur and Babbu Maan. The arrested accused have been sent to police remand for further interrogation.

Jalandhar, January 27
The state government's promises of rewarding its differently abled sportspersons have fallen flat.

Four differently abled sportspersons, who won medals in the Athens Special Olympics, which concluded in July 2011, have not been awarded the requisite cash prizes.

The sportspersons are Ashish John (20) (basketball), Ramandeep Kaur (17) (athletics), Gurcharan Singh (20) (cycling) and Avinder Kumar (17) (badminton).

Even as the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award Policy promises Rs 5 lakh for gold medallists, Rs 3 lakh for silver medallists and Rs 2 lakh for bronze medallists (to Olympians in the handicapped category), the said children have been made to do only with cash awards of Rs 5,000 each.

They received the amount at a function which took place in November 2011.

This information was revealed by Amarjit Singh Anand, an activist working for the differently abled.

Also an executive member of the Punjab chapter of the state Special Olympics, Anand said in the reply to his RTI application, seeking details of the facilities and budgets allocated for the differently abled in the state, the reply from the director sports (a copy of which is available with The Tribune), admits that though there is a provision to award prizes to differently abled sportspersons, the awards have not been given.

The application (dated 30/0/2011) was addressed to Special Secretary, Deputy Chief Minister, from whom it made way to Director, Sports, Punjab.

The reply says, "None of the sportspersons have been given the award as per this policy till now."

It also goes on to say, "But soon this award will be given, in which differently abled sportspersons are also listed."

Suresh Thakur, who was one of the members on the team accompanying the students to Greece, says, "All these students are from financially poor backgrounds. Their family members hardly make their ends meet. At first we did not know about the prize money, but when we heard about honours being announced for athletes of others sates, we wanted our children to get the money too, especially since they are in dire need of it. Our area director then also sent a letter regarding it."

None of the representatives from the sports ministry informed children or their coaches about the said cash awards. It was only after declaration of cash prizes for similar sportspersons in other states that they made enquiries with the sports department.

Dr Ravi Bhushan, Area Director, Special Olympics, Punjab, when contacted, said, "About a couple of months after the children returned, I sent a letter to the Sports Minister, Director Sports and Secretary Sports on the issue. It was regarding the requisite prize money that the children should be awarded according to the sports policy. The only reply I got came from the Director Sports on January 10, 2012. It said that we were supposed to apply for the award money based on advertisements which will appear in the newspapers on the issue, shortly. I have been waiting since, but never saw any advertisements of the sort."

l Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award Policy promises Rs 5 lakh for gold medallists, Rs 3 lakh for silver medallists and Rs 2 lakh for bronze medallists (to Olympians in the handicapped category).

l Ashish John (basketball), Ramandeep Kaur (athletics), Gurcharan Singh (cycling) and Avinder Kumar (badminton), who won medals at the Athens Special Olympics have been given Rs 5,000 as cash awards

Jalandhar, January 27
Taking a dig on political parties who have released election manifestos, the students of journalism, GNDU Regional Campus, today released a ‘Lok Manifesto’ highlighting common man’s demands for the Assembly elections.

The ‘Lok Manifesto’ was released following a survey done by the students of first year. The survey was conducted in the city and its periphery about key demands of the voters.

Industrialists, farmers, students, youth, businessman, and women were asked what they demand from political parties as voters. The voters have poured their hearts out through the manifesto. They demanded an end of VIP culture, jobs for youth and reservation on the basis of economic status.

Amarpreet Singh, a journalism student, said, “People specially raised the issue of adequate job facilities in the state, which could end unemployment and hence the rampant drug abuse.”

Gurwinder Singh, another student, said, “The voters demanded end of the VIP culture in the state. They said the elected members of the Legislative should also remain like a common man. More the VIP culture more is the difference between the MLAs and the voters, hence the gap between what they promise and what they deliver.”

Talking to Jalandhar Tribune, Head of the Department, Dr Kamlesh Singh Duggal said copies of manifesto would be sent to all the political parties through e-mails and one copy of the same would be uploaded on the social networking site Facebook for public deliberation.

Areas of public concern as reflected by the manifesto are: quality and affordable education, health and employment facilities, regular electricity supply, potable drinking water, ensure basic facilities in villages, towns and cities, easy loan facility for small and large scale business, loans and easy availability of electricity, water supply, fertilisers, diesel and seeds to farmers.

It also focused on enhanced MSP for different crops, strict laws for curbing drug abuse in the state and administrative reforms.

The voters also said the election manifesto should be considered as a legal document and that a yearly report card should be made of the political party in power.

“Voters were cautious about their rights. Their only agenda is to ensure that the politicians should deliver what they promise,” said Amarpreet Singh.

The students also motivated the voters to vote candidates on the basis of merit. The students asked voters to refuse liquor or money in exchange of their votes. “We informed everybody that January 30 was not a holiday but a day on which we form the next government,” the students added.